14 Republican lawmakers say Argentine beef imports ‘undermine American livestock producers’ in new letter
More than a dozen House Republicans, in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Trade Representative Jamison Greer, expressed concern about the Trump administration’s plan to boost Argentine beef imports.
“We encourage the administration to ensure that any adjustments to Argentina’s tariff rate quotas or inspection regime are conditional on verified parity and reciprocal market access for U.S. beef,” said the letter, signed by House Ways and Means Chairman Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and 13 others.
Last week, the administration confirmed plans to quadruple the tariff quota on beef coming from Argentina, days after President Trump cited rising beef prices in support of the plan.
The average price of a pound of ground beef was about $6.32 in September, $0.77 higher than it was in January and $0.65 higher than it was in September 2024, according to Department of Agriculture (USDA) data compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Meanwhile, the USDA unveiled a plan to boost the domestic beef industry, including by enhancing grazing access, disaster support, market options, and domestic and international demand.
However, the Argentine beef proposal has drawn backlash from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, particularly in states with high cattle inventories.
The letter’s signatories include lawmakers from Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas, all of which rely heavily on the beef industry.
The letter notes that while lawmakers “share the administration’s goal of lowering costs for consumers,” they are concerned that increased beef imports from Argentina will hurt U.S. livestock producers, weaken the country’s position in trade negotiations and “reintroduce avoidable animal health risks.”
Last week, Rollins told CNBC that the administration is monitoring a “foot-and-mouth disease problem” affecting livestock in Argentina. According to the Global Reference Laboratory for Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Argentina has not seen such an outbreak since 2006.
Lawmakers also pointed to an imbalance in beef trade between the United States and Argentina. In an Oct. 20 statement criticizing the president’s initial proposal, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said that over the past five years, Argentina has sold $801 million worth of beef to American companies, while importing only $7 million from the United States.
“While we recognize the value of diverse global supply chains, it is critical that business decisions reflect science-based animal health standards and the principle of fair and reciprocal treatment,” the letter added.
The Hill has reached out to the White House, USDA and Greer’s office for comment on the letter.
